Saturday, 2 June 2012
An insight into the creative mind of artist Simon Gilby - video by Julie Petersen
Here is a filmed interview with me showing the work installed that was done just before the opening at Mosman Galleries. Julie Petersen from the gallery did a great job of filming and editing.
HD version is available at http://youtu.be/Z7wGcfk8OXI
Monday, 21 May 2012
The syndicate opened at Mosman Art gallery on 18 May. It was opened by
Anita Taylor who's the director and CEO of the National ArtSchool. In her speech she was extraordinarily insightful for having
visited the exhibition without any commentary from me or the staff as
far as i know. She spent a generous amount of her speech interpreting and
analysing the work showing extraordinary making some knowledgeable references. I was flattered by
many of the things she said.
The art school that she represents is one with a great tradition and history that has produced some fantastic artists. There are many parallels with the art school I studied at, Claremont School of art.
My show opened with a solo show by Ken Done titled 'Attack' which commemorated the 1942 attack by the Japanese midget submarines in Sydney Harbour, it's 70th anniversary.
Quite contrasting shows of course but visitors to either show enjoyed both exhibitions sometimes with quite a surprise at the quality of what they saw.
I had spent a few days before the exhibition helping set up the sculptures. This was due to some difficulties with the galleries renovations that meant that I had to supervise the unpack of the works. Another complication to this was that I had just had a motorcycle accident a few weeks before, breaking my neck and right arm, so I was pushing things a bit to be there in Sydney.
As difficult as that was, i was really glad that I did get the extra time to be there. The show looks fantastic and a great video was shot by Julie Patterson interviewing me about the show, she did a great job editing it and published it on the Mosman art Gallery website.
While in Sydney for the show I was assisted by my sister Rebecca to help me get around to various exhibitions and galleries.
In particular, I saw the refurbished in MCA, and a fantastic pop-up ARNDT contemporary art Gallery in Kent st showing my friends' entang Wiharso's work as well as some extraordinary other Indonesian contemporary artists alongside European luminaries like Sophie Calle and Bill Viola.
I also saw the White Rabbit gallery showing mostly contemporary Chinese art and the AGNSW exhibiting the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman art prizes. What I most enjoyed at the AGNSW was the John Kaldor collection in the new wing.
The art school that she represents is one with a great tradition and history that has produced some fantastic artists. There are many parallels with the art school I studied at, Claremont School of art.
My show opened with a solo show by Ken Done titled 'Attack' which commemorated the 1942 attack by the Japanese midget submarines in Sydney Harbour, it's 70th anniversary.
Quite contrasting shows of course but visitors to either show enjoyed both exhibitions sometimes with quite a surprise at the quality of what they saw.
I had spent a few days before the exhibition helping set up the sculptures. This was due to some difficulties with the galleries renovations that meant that I had to supervise the unpack of the works. Another complication to this was that I had just had a motorcycle accident a few weeks before, breaking my neck and right arm, so I was pushing things a bit to be there in Sydney.
As difficult as that was, i was really glad that I did get the extra time to be there. The show looks fantastic and a great video was shot by Julie Patterson interviewing me about the show, she did a great job editing it and published it on the Mosman art Gallery website.
While in Sydney for the show I was assisted by my sister Rebecca to help me get around to various exhibitions and galleries.
In particular, I saw the refurbished in MCA, and a fantastic pop-up ARNDT contemporary art Gallery in Kent st showing my friends' entang Wiharso's work as well as some extraordinary other Indonesian contemporary artists alongside European luminaries like Sophie Calle and Bill Viola.
I also saw the White Rabbit gallery showing mostly contemporary Chinese art and the AGNSW exhibiting the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman art prizes. What I most enjoyed at the AGNSW was the John Kaldor collection in the new wing.
Friday, 11 May 2012
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012
Perc Tucker
Perc Tucker is the regional Gallery of North Queensland, housed in a beautiful two-storey colonial building with
surrounding wide verandas and containing large galleries. The syndicate show
was held downstairs and the whole gallery team led by Manager Francis Thompson
did a great job of making the exhibition look good. This was the first time
where the works were shown across two adjacent spaces but the considered
placement of the works ensured the show hung together well. The syndicate Exhibition
made up the centrepiece of an event called ‘Xtrata Go Figure’ that included
other artists, such as Sally Smart and small scale sculptor Zygmunt Libucha
making up a whole program around the ‘Human Figure’.
In part of the gallery next
to my work there were some interventions done by schoolchildren that in fact
worked really well. Drawings, cloth collages and a big jig saw puzzle of the
Syndicate poster image.
The opening was great and well
attended. Jak Henson the Exhibitions Manager was particularly helpful with
promoting the exhibition and a artist in her own right(Exhibiting in last years "Strand Ephemera").In fact the whole team
were great and made me very welcome.
I had the good fortune of
meeting Tate Adams, a senior artist, printmaker originally from Ireland, he
moved to Australia, initially Melbourne,
teaching exhibiting and running the ‘The Crossley Gallery He later established with his ex student
George Baldessin, ‘Lyrebird Press’, publishing Artists Books he then moved up
to Townsville.
Tate’s continues to be extraordinary vital artist
that continues to produce beautiful large scale black Gouaches (on display at
Perc Tucker with my work.), as well as
the short runs of artists books including Jan Sensberg and John Brack.
I had some great meals
together with Tate and Frances, especially entertained by Tate’s stories of art
making over his art practise over 60 plus years.
Thanks to the generosity and
professionalism of the Director and her team, the beautiful town with its great
climate, I found myself feeling I could spend a much longer time there.
The public talks had a great
response from the general public including the local schools, local artists and
the TAFE’ so did I quite a few talks there.
p.s.Check out “Xstrata
Percival Portrait Award” On the 4th of May.
Friday, 3 February 2012
The Syndicate at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery is located in one of Townsville's finest heritage buildings, on the corner of Denham and Flinders Streets, in the city centre.
The Syndicate was the major component of Go Figure! the Xstrata Kids and Teens Exhibition
Showing 3 February until 8 April 2012
Saturday, 10 September 2011
The Syndicate at McClelland Gallery
Back on the 21st of August of this year 'The Syndicate Exhibition' opened at McClelland
Gallery. For those who may not know, McClelland is the premier Australian sculpture
gallery in Victoria and site of the biennial 'McClelland Sculpture Survey and Award'
http://www.mcclelland gallery.com/
The show opened with two other exhibitions 'Dreamweavers" by the Curator of the
Gippsland Art Gallery Simon Gregg and a print show-'John Farmer Etchings and
vignettes'.
The opening was well attended with several hundred there for the three shows, the
people at McClelland were very supportive, from the install crew to the director Robert
Lindsay, who more than once collected me from Brunswick where I was staying, giving us
the opportunity for some enjoyable art chats.
The work was lit well against the dark grey walls and charcoal coloured floor plates.
McClelland3 curator Penny Teale generously gave me lots of scope in arranging the work
in the gallery.
The congruence between the 'syndicate' and the 'Dreamweavers' exhibition was often
commented upon and during some brief talks with Simon Gregg we both recognised this,
especially the surrealist resonances of both shows. Simon Gregg has just published his
book 'The New Romantics' making a case for contemporary artists return to notions of
truth and beauty in their work. (Heaven forbid!) Hunt it up.
http://www.scholarly.info/booV9781921509919/
Over the next week I did several artist talks at the gallery to a range of audiences, including the gallery staff, primary and high school groups and art students from the local
tertiary institutions. All went very well.
The remainder of my stay in Melbourne was spent with some ex WA Artists Annie Hsiao-
wen Wang, (www.anniewangartist.com ) Gillian Warden, (www.galleryeast.com) and Gina
Moore and visiting the galleries. One of the inner city galleries is interested in representing
me as well as some other exciting possibilities.
After Melbourne I went to Hobart to visit another ex WA artist Yvette Watt
(www.turnergalleries.com.au) and managed to land on the night of the launch of the book
'Considering Animals' that Yvette co-edited and contributed an essay and artwork to.
That night we had a great dinner with Mike Singe (www.galeriedusseldorf.com.au) and
Louise Josephs both artists from Perth living and working in Hobart.
It was great to see Yvette and I spent the next day at MONA, the extraordinary 'temple to
the secular' that is David Walsh's underground gallery of art and wonders! I can't say
enough about how fantastic this gallery is, so I won't - just go ASAP. This was the most
rewarding art experience of the trip without doubt. I wish I had a week there. (www.mona.net.au)
The evening of that day I caught up with some ex students from UWA Claire Krouzecky
and Laura Hindmarsh who have been studying at The Tasmanian School of Art. Claire and
Laura work as 'lntercollective' with another great ex UWA artist Anna Cocks.
-http://www.intercollective.com.au/
The 'Syndicate Exhibition' comes down on the 30th of October and it happens that I will be
sent over to McClelland to pack up. While I am there I will be talking with the interested
gallery over there and doubtless seeing more art and artists. - Simon Gilby.
Gallery. For those who may not know, McClelland is the premier Australian sculpture
gallery in Victoria and site of the biennial 'McClelland Sculpture Survey and Award'
http://www.mcclelland gallery.com/
The show opened with two other exhibitions 'Dreamweavers" by the Curator of the
Gippsland Art Gallery Simon Gregg and a print show-'John Farmer Etchings and
vignettes'.
The opening was well attended with several hundred there for the three shows, the
people at McClelland were very supportive, from the install crew to the director Robert
Lindsay, who more than once collected me from Brunswick where I was staying, giving us
the opportunity for some enjoyable art chats.
The work was lit well against the dark grey walls and charcoal coloured floor plates.
McClelland3 curator Penny Teale generously gave me lots of scope in arranging the work
in the gallery.
The congruence between the 'syndicate' and the 'Dreamweavers' exhibition was often
commented upon and during some brief talks with Simon Gregg we both recognised this,
especially the surrealist resonances of both shows. Simon Gregg has just published his
book 'The New Romantics' making a case for contemporary artists return to notions of
truth and beauty in their work. (Heaven forbid!) Hunt it up.
http://www.scholarly.info/booV9781921509919/
Over the next week I did several artist talks at the gallery to a range of audiences, including the gallery staff, primary and high school groups and art students from the local
tertiary institutions. All went very well.
The remainder of my stay in Melbourne was spent with some ex WA Artists Annie Hsiao-
wen Wang, (www.anniewangartist.com ) Gillian Warden, (www.galleryeast.com) and Gina
Moore and visiting the galleries. One of the inner city galleries is interested in representing
me as well as some other exciting possibilities.
After Melbourne I went to Hobart to visit another ex WA artist Yvette Watt
(www.turnergalleries.com.au) and managed to land on the night of the launch of the book
'Considering Animals' that Yvette co-edited and contributed an essay and artwork to.
That night we had a great dinner with Mike Singe (www.galeriedusseldorf.com.au) and
Louise Josephs both artists from Perth living and working in Hobart.
It was great to see Yvette and I spent the next day at MONA, the extraordinary 'temple to
the secular' that is David Walsh's underground gallery of art and wonders! I can't say
enough about how fantastic this gallery is, so I won't - just go ASAP. This was the most
rewarding art experience of the trip without doubt. I wish I had a week there. (www.mona.net.au)
The evening of that day I caught up with some ex students from UWA Claire Krouzecky
and Laura Hindmarsh who have been studying at The Tasmanian School of Art. Claire and
Laura work as 'lntercollective' with another great ex UWA artist Anna Cocks.
-http://www.intercollective.com.au/
The 'Syndicate Exhibition' comes down on the 30th of October and it happens that I will be
sent over to McClelland to pack up. While I am there I will be talking with the interested
gallery over there and doubtless seeing more art and artists. - Simon Gilby.
Thursday, 18 August 2011
McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery
21 August - 30 October 2011
Opening Sunday 21 August 2011 at 3:00pm
Exhibition opening hours: Tues to Sun : 10am - 5pm.
Closed on Mondays and some Public Holidays.
McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery
390 McClelland Drive, Langwarrin Victoria
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Thursday, 2 June 2011
The Syndicate in Albany
Vancouver Arts Centre
11 June - 28 June 2011
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
The Syndicate gets installed at the Shark Bay Discovery Centre
The Syndicate
Visions tourItinerary
_______________________________________________________________________________
2011
Denham
Cindy Farmer
Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery Information Centre
WA (08) 9948 1590
23/4-22/5 Exhibition
_______________________________________________________________________________Albany
Tanja Colby
Vancouver Arts Centre
WA (08) 9841 9260
11/6-28/6 Exhibition
_______________________________________________________________________________Langwarrin
Robert Lindsay
McClelland Gallery & Sculpture Park
VIC (03) 9789 1671
7/8 - 30/10 Exhibition
_______________________________________________________________________________Available November 2011 - February 2012
_______________________________________________________________________________
2012
Townsville
Frances Thomson
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
QLD (07) 4727 9011
2/3-13/5 Exhibition
_______________________________________________________________________________Mosman
Katrina Cashman
Mosman Art Gallery
NSW (02) 9978 4178
4/6-17/7 Exhibition
_______________________________________________________________________________ 
Thursday, 4 November 2010
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